Even Demons Bleed
by xXxLostBunnyxXx
Summary: Mankind lost the war, and now demons have taken over their lives. A rebel group of humans rise above to claim back what once was theirs. Ciel finds himself torn between allegiances and puts his soul on the line. AU.
1. Prologue

Even Demons Bleed: 

**A/N: Like turning day to night, black into white. Demons can be human, and humans can be demons. Please enjoy the first chapter of EDB**.

Summary: Mankind lost the war, and now demons have taken over their lives. A rebel group of humans rise above to claim back what once was theirs. Ciel finds himself torn between allegiances and puts his soul on the line. AU.

_Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) and all related characters belong to their respective owners, the author owns none of the rights reserved. _

*Big thanks to thenamelesssoul (TNS) for beta-ing the chapter!

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><p><strong>Even Demons Bleed: Prologue<strong>

** ~xXx~ **

_London, England. Year 2020: _

Subject 666-4242 took a step backwards, a chill of fear shooting down her spine as her back connected against the glass wall, never tearing her eyes away from the mass of darkness pulsing before her. She could see _them_ standing around outside the testing room, a giant glass cube that allowed her to see what was happening outside. It was also for _them_ to observe what was happening inside.

The darkness smiled as he relished the fear emanating from the experiment's skin, licking his lips as he smelled her soul through every breath she took.

Subject 666-4242 winced as a brutally strong claw lashed out from the swirling darkness, grasping her neck and pinning her back against the transparent glass surface, her head connecting against the hard material with a sickening thump.. A fleeting look of glowing crimson eyes compounded her sudden terror as she felt the cold kiss of lips against hers. The fingers curled inwards, crushing through skin and into sinew and muscles beneath. She opened her mouth to scream, but the voice never leaving as the kiss deepened. She could feel the stinging heat of her blood as it bubbled from the wound upon her neck,staining the thin overall she wore. Her protest disintegrated into a limp surrender as she felt a staggering pressure erupt from her chest, forcing its way up and spilling through her lips as her captor sucked everything she possessed. Her memories, her life, her very soul. The sound of cracking filled her astonished ears as the creature pulled away, smeared in her blood. The demon snarled and released the human, glowing crimson eyes watching as she collapsed to the ground, her ribs crushed into her empty shell.

Then, the swirling mass of darkness seemed to hunch over as retching sounds bubbled from within. A hacking cough, and blood splattered to the ground. The human's blood.

Sebastian Michaelis sat behind the counter, narrowing his eyes as he observed the death of Subject 666-4242, his eyes shifting towards the towering mass of darkness as it dissipated, revealing a man within it. Human again. Ignoring the blood splatters dripping down the glass surface, Sebastian leaned into the connecting microphone, his finger hitting against a round red button amongst the array of flicking controls as his smooth voice buzzed around the room through hidden speakers placed around the lab.

"We'll stop the experiment now."

The tense silence in the lab broke as the rest of the research team, all donned in the uniform white of laboratory coats shuffled out of the test lab, glimmers of disappointment and hunger glowing in their eyes. The automated doors whooshed shut, leaving the two man alone inside.

The lab itself, was about the size of two rooms. Right in the middle, was the glass cube. An experiment area where Sebastian led his research team in harvesting the perfect soul for their dying society. Immortal or not, they claimed a human body each, and with that body, they had to suffer human illnesses and mortal wounds.

Dim white lights illuminated the whole area as the steady hum of air-conditioning filled the lab. But it did not soften the tense silence between the two demons.

Claude Faustus stepped out of the glass cube, shedding his bloodied lab coat as he raised a hand to push his spectacles up, nodding as Sebastian stepped forward and offered him a clean towel. The cold kiss of air-conditioning bit on his heated skin as he could never get used to his human form. It was vulnerable. Breakable.

"Report." Sebastian said, crimson eyes taking in the bloodied form of the demon before him, his attention narrowing against the medical incision on the man's arm, a long deep cut along the length of his arm about ten centimetres long. It had not closed up at all even with the consumption of Subject 666-4242's soul during the experiment.

Claude grabbed the towel and proceeded to wipe off the remaining traces of fluid from his body, contemplating if he should stuff the towel in his mouth to rub off the disgusting taste off his tongue as well. He paused as he caught Sebastian staring at the cut on his arm and tossed the towel back to him.

"You know what happened." Claude growled, inspecting his arm for any signs of infection. It would be bad if infection sets in, with such a shortage of souls left in the world and only a few set aside for experiment purposes, he didn't want to take any chances.

"And next time, infuse it with strawberry essence or something. That one tasted like shit."

Sebastian folded the towel, draping it across his arm as he raised a finger, hiding a wry smile on his lips. Leave it to Claude to know what shit tasted like.

They belonged to a new world, a world where humans had lost their right to live in this world. _They_ had many names, many forms. Demon, was the closest name to what the human language can describe. They took over, one soul after another, living the lives as their previous human had. No one noticed the shift, not until it was too late. They lived human lives, had human emotions. But as human as those immortals want to be, they can never escape mortal sickness and death. The only way, is to devour another human soul once again. The remaining humans were then rounded up, imprisoned and experimented on; the humans harvested for their souls. Until one day, their only source began to die out.

Sebastian sighed, knowing he had to file another report to the higher-ups. It was another failed attempt, the second one in a week. He was rushing against time, before the society would start to panic when they realized there would not be any more human souls left in their world.

Claude ran his hand across his hair, cursing inwardly as he felt the sticky blood clumping it up. He would need to take a shower and then get rid of the foul after-taste of the worthless soul in his mouth. But first, he needed to address the wound before it worsened. The demon moved towards the control panel, reaching out for a rectangular metal case resting on top, ignoring the other man following him closely behind.

Fingers lifted the latches as a hiss escaped the case, cold wisps of mist swirled out, dissipating into the atmosphere as Claude lifted the lid of the case. Nestled inside were neat rows of glass syringes, each body partially filled with a thick glowing substance, moving, breathing, pulsing within the glass tube that contained it. The demon picked one up, removing the safety cap as he pushed the needle into his wound, hissing as the metal tip kissed his flesh. Both man watched as the torn skin melded together, erasing the thick red gash that revealed his flesh and leaving behind smooth, undamaged skin.

Claude pulled the needle out, tossing it carelessly to the side, knowing that it will piss the other demon off. No, in fact, he didn't really care what the other man thought.

"You know that I'd rather taste that, than inject it into my bloodstream."

Sebastian leaned forward to close the case before the cooling agent evaporated. "It'll help you heal faster that way..." He countered, and froze as he felt cool fingers snaking around his throat as the other man leaned in, nose almost touching Sebastian's neck. In their close proximity, Sebastian could smell the metallic rust of dried blood and the light, lingering putrid odor of Subject 666-4242's soul on his breath.

"You know what I mean, Michaelis. Nothing can replace the pleasure of devouring a real soul, something you and your team have failed to replicate, time and time again..." Claude breathed, his voice slipping into a low whisper as he trailed his hand across Sebastian's chest, fingers slipping into the pocket of his lab coat and picking out his access card that the other demon had kept for safekeeping during the experiment.

Suddenly feeling too close for comfort, Claude shoved the other man away from him, breaking their body contact as he narrowed his eyes.

"Try harder the next time."

And with that, he was gone. The doors swung shut as the lock beeped in acknowledgement of the staff that left.

Sebastian sighed and ran his hand along his hair, eyes turning towards the stained glass cube. He need to find someone to clean up the mess and remove the broken body. Dropping his weight onto the chair, Sebastian fixed his crimson eyes against the corpse on the floor, his mind running as he wondered what was missing from perfecting a cloned soul.

Perhaps a human. A real, breathing..._living_ human.

-/-/-

Ciel Phantomhive huffed as he pulled his coat tighter against his body, his breath coming out in puffs of smoke as he kept his head down, shuffling along with the crowd in the cold November chill. Rows of shops passed his peripheral vision as shopkeepers brandished their wares along the busy street, big red cardboard signs signalling the start of a month long Christmas Sale. It was such an irony for _them_ to be celebrating the festival of a Saint. Hilarious even.

Ciel scoffed and shook his head, shoving his hands into the warm pockets of his jacket. He had walked among these people before, passed this street a dozen times, but his heart still hammered as wildly, fearing that with one wrong move, he would find himself dead.

Ciel was not one of them.

The young man raised his eyes, finding himself observing the man trudging before him. He was wearing a dark plain coat, briefcase in his hand and a steaming cup of whatever it was in his other hand. He looked human. But Ciel knew if he was to look at the man in the face, he would find those swirling crimson eyes. Definitely not the eyes of a human, but a demon.

They infiltrated the human world centuries ago, slowly immersing themselves into their world. Watching, learning, perfecting their human masks. Then one day, they attacked. The demons eradicated the human race and completely overtaking the human existence. Ciel had never witnessed the war between the human race and those vile creatures, only relying on the horrific stories passed down from survivor to survivor. And according to that old man down at their hideout, they were the last of their kind. Their numbers had dwindled the past years, falling from the several hundreds to a mere sad figure; a shadow of what it was once before.

Ciel was born during the dark era and grew up with the Resistance; a sorry band of humans with no more than thirty of them left today, surviving out in the outskirts of town, living and hiding in the harsh wasteland. To the survivors, his birth was a miracle, but others labelled him a jinx - the one who cost the Resistance the lives of two of their greatest leaders. But despite everything, they were the only family he had had until he met Alois while sneaking out to explore the whole new world inhabited by the masked race of demons..

'Ciel!' A voice called out from the side, snapping Ciel out of his thoughts as a young man shoved through the crowd, his blonde hair a stark contract against the sea of dark relaxed, recognizing the person before him. He was a demon like the rest, but he was different. He was a friend. The word felt foreign to his mind as the boy raised a hand and playfully slapped the younger male across the back, making Ciel lose his balance stumble forward with a surprised cry, glaring at the demon.

'C'mon...what took you so long today? Had trouble putting on your clothes or something?" Alois teased, slipping an arm around his human companion. "I waited by that shop for ages. I'm so eating your soul if any of my fingers and toes drop off from the cold..."

"Sorry..." Ciel muttered. The young man knew Alois wouldn't eat his soul. It was just a joke, albeit a terrible one.

"I had trouble putting on the contacts, they won't stay on today." Ciel muttered and blinked, suddenly aware of the uncomfortable layer of plastic against his pupils. The older male had passed him a box of cosmetic contact lenses the last time they met. Beats wearing sunglasses around all the time, he had said. Alois peered to the side, taking in the sight of dark crimson eyes on the human.

"Looks good on you, you look just like one of us now." Alois commented, his arm still tucked around Ciel's as he led him down the streets. "Relax, no one will know you're human. Your life is in my hands now." He said, his voice dropping into a low whisper against Ciel's ear, his crimson eyes blazing, coming alive. The young male shivered, passing it off as the chill of the darkening sky.

Ciel scowled at the older male before him. "You know that's not funny at all." Ciel said.

Alois burst out laughing before dropping his voice again to a conspiratorial whisper, leading the younger male down the street.

"You're funny, human. Relax! You didn't come all the way up here just to chicken out again."

Ciel huffed, pulling up his scarf to cover the chill from his face before shoving his hands into his pockets again. _Human_. It sounded like an insult now.

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><p><em><strong>Author ramblings: <strong>_

_**xXxLostBunnyxXx:**__ Oh good god! It's finally finished! The first chapter...whoops,it's only the prologue! Haha!_

_**TNS: **__Please review this wonderful story because __**xXxLostBunnyxXx **__here keeps telling me that her story sucks and that she'll take it down if no one reviews, and I'm really really excited about this plot and how it unfolds. So...WARM MILK WITH HONEY TO ALL THOSE WHO REVIEW! *blows kisses and and confetti, before whipping out a tray of warm milk and bowing*_

_**xXxLostBunnyxXx:**__ GAH! I am not good, story is not wonderful. *confiscates kisses and confetti* And yes, please do leave reviews...it keeps me sane! No really, a big thank you to those who did! Updates should come real soon, I'm very excited to write the next chapter. That's where all the action starts! So hold on to your horses (or bunnies)...the fun is about to begin. _


	2. Chapter 1

Even Demons Bleed:

**A/N: Fate. What is that? It's just a silly piece of red string. **

Summary: Mankind lost the war, and now demons have taken over their lives. A rebel group of humans rise above to claim back what once was theirs. Ciel finds himself torn between allegiances and puts his soul on the line. AU

_**Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) and all related characters belong to their respective owners, the author owns none of the rights reserved.**_

***Many thanks to thenamelesssoul (TNS) for beta-ing this chapter! **

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><p><strong>Even Demons Bleed: Chapter 1<strong>

**~xXx~**

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><p><em>[8pm, Institute of Research and Intelligence Sciences (IRIS, London Headquarters)]<em>

The news had already begun to spread.

The doors of the lift slid open as a group of researchers stepped out, making their way down the hallway towards Sebastian. The demon kept his eyes trained on the lift, ignoring the apologetic and sympathetic glances from the rest of the group walking past him.

Two female researchers heading towards him fell to the side of the hallway, pale faces framed by their dark lush hair, heads bent as their crimson eyes glittered in amusement as they trailed each and every step Sebastian took as he walked past them.

"Did you hear? _His_ experiment failed _again_. Such a waste."

_The brutally strong claw lashed out from the swirling darkness, grasping the her neck and pinning her back against the transparent glass surface, her head connecting against the hard material with a sickening thump._

"Top medical researcher, wasn't he? Must be a big joke."

_The fingers curled inwards, crushing through skin and into sinew and muscles beneath, sending showers of fresh blood spewing to the glass walls, painting it red as she raised her brown eyes to him. Pleading, begging. _

"He shouldn't even be in this field. With a face like that, he'll be earning bigger bucks as a model than a medical researcher..."

_Black shadows enshrouded her body, wrapping around her torso, fondling her breasts and the darkness squeezed, sounds of bone snapping and splintering around the small room, echoing loudly to the world outside. _

The two women glanced shyly up at him, and exploded into fits of childish giggles as they blushed. Everyone knew of the ethereally handsome medical researcher from the eleventh floor. He was tall and slim in built with a slight muscular structure, his pale skin and jet-black hair that always seem to fall across his face. And that smile, the smallest twitch of his lips could send a female, demon or not, melting into a wanton puddle.

Crimson eyes darkened as the demon continued his way towards the lift. _Disgusting_, he thought to himself. Sebastian lifted a finger, pushing the button as it forced the silver doors to slide open again. Stepping inside, Sebastian sighed as the doors closed, sealing off the whispers behind. Pressing the last button at the bottom of the panel, the lift jerked to life as it descended downwards. Slumping to the back of the lift, Sebastian ran his fingers through his jet-black hair, closing his eyes as the haunting images of countless of broken corpses invaded his mind, the smell of freshly spilled blood, the taunting whispers of his fellow research team hounding him to just give up and move on.

_Her last gasp, the shock of her death made her widen her eyes as she crumpled to the ground in a bloody heap. Her lifeless eyes, staring...and staring...and… _

_Ding_! Sebastian flinched as he slowly opened his eyes, shrugging his body away from the side of the lift. The bright sound of the bell pried Sebastian out of his thoughts. He quickly stepped out before the doors close on him.

Footsteps echo around the long, empty corridor as Sebastian made his way towards the end, his hard eyes never leaving the massive iron frame of the door as an intricate web of locks and bolts surrounded it. White lights illuminated his path, whitewashed walls surrounding him, blending in with the white laboratory coat he wore and white linoleum tiles echoed his footsteps. The air smelt of disinfectant. It was all too clean, almost too pure. He had to do it. He had started the whole mess, and he had to be the one to finish it.

Sebastian was going to stain his hands with blood again tonight.

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><p><em>[8pm. London, England]<em>

Darkness came very quickly these few days. Temperatures had continued to drop throughout the month with little signs of snow, and despite the upcoming festive season, the night still seemed to arrive before it was meant to be. As they neared the end of the street, the street lamps flickered on, throwing pools of ugly orange light onto the pavement as it merged together with the blinding store-lights and cherry Christmas music blasting from each shop. Each playing a different song, blending together into a cacophony of noise, sound, lights and demons.

Ciel shifted on his feet, trying to keep warm in his old coat. It was freezing. Jostling through the crowd, he tried to keep up with Alois. Trying his hardest to follow the blond demon, Ciel used Alois' bright violet coat and striking golden hair as a marker amongst the deep sea of dark coats and glowing eyes; his contacts starting to burn as the cold air made his eyes drier than ever. But already he was wishing he hadn't come. It was wrong. Stupid even. Why had he ever agreed?

Alois huffed, blowing against a stray strand of blond lock that had fallen in his face and pushed his way through the pressing crowd. The familiar sign of the bar rose up from the end of the street and Alois crowed in delight.

Alois reached out behind him, grabbing on Ciel's hand.

"We're here!"

Alois seemed to sense the younger male's discomfort and turned towards him, a questioning look on his face.

"What? Thinking of going home already?" He teased, the edge of his lips drawing upwards into a cheeky smirk as his eyes blazed in amusement at Ciel's misery. Humans. No wonder they had lost the war.

_Because I'm cold. Because my eyes hurt. Because anyone can come up to me and kill me right here, right on the spot._ That's what Ciel wanted to say, but the words didn't come. Ciel just shrugged.

"I'm just bored." Ciel countered, trying to defend himself as slipped his hand away from Alois' grip and leaned back stubbornly to rest his back against the wall beside him.

Two women walked past and glanced at him disapprovingly with their glowing crimson eyes, probably thinking he was up to no good. The way Ciel was leaning against the wall- one foot on the ground and the other propped against the wall. His hands were stuffed deep into his pockets and a scowl on his face. It made him look somewhat dangerous, making him look older than he was.

Alois rolled his eyes and grabbed Ciel away from the wall, pushing in the glass doors and they stepped in. The smell of alcohol assaulted Ciel's nose, making him wrinkle it in distaste. Dim blue lights illuminated the bar as soft music played slowly on the background. There were not many customers patronizing the bar, some demons choosing to sit alone at the bar, or along the far corners of the dark room. It was warm inside, and Ciel felt himself shrugging out of his worn, brown coat. He was grateful that Alois had chosen this place each time they met. The darkness of the bar hid the colour of his human eyes.

Ciel tried to relax. It was an adventure, wasn't it? A few hours from now, he'd be back. But he was uneasy. Ciel gulped, suddenly remembering what awaited him. Visions of Alois sobbing and wailing on his seat as he drowned himself with shot after shot of alcohol, sharing how his life sucked and how the person he liked didn't reciprocate his affections immediately assaulted him. His stomach tightened and his guilt worsened.

Alois needed him. And Ciel needed Alois as well.

Ciel had never told the young demon that he was sharing the information gathered from their tours around the city with the Resistance. The young male felt bad for exploiting the demon, especially when Alois had been so kind as to keep his secret, but that was the way their worlds worked; eat or be eaten. The Resistance needed the information to take back what was theirs. And Alois was a willing pawn in this game of chess.

"Can I get you anything?" Alois asked, dumping his violet coat upon an empty booth situated on the lonely, quiet end of the bar. Ciel slid across the velvet chairs, folding his coat upon the remaining seat beside him.

"Uh...something warm I guess?" Ciel replied, turning to look at the menu before looking back at Alois again. He had always been ordering a glass of juice, courtesy of Alois, each time they visited the bar after their little tours around the city. Ciel wanted a warm drink to defrost his frozen insides, and alcohol was out of the question. It might hamper his mission. He was in the danger-zone, and needed a clear mind to make his way out alive.

"Do they even serve tea here?" he asked and mentally slapped himself for asking such a stupid question.

The young demon grinned and nodded his head. "Yup. Does Earl Grey sound good to you?"

Ciel smiled softly and nodded his head. Earl Grey tea would be lovely.

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><p>The little boy wrapped his arms around the tall man, cradling against him as they slid down to the floor. Looking up at him, he wanted to lift up his tiny hand to brush off the man's pale cheek, wanted to tell him that everything was fine.<p>

The demon leaned in, closing his crimson eyes as he sighed softly. His breath tickling the light hairs on the boy's neck.

"I'll make it as painless as I can..." His murmured softly, his words caught his tongue as he wondered if he had ever given a name to Subject 666-4243 - a human name. Sebastian inched his hand down to his lab coat's pocket, slowly drawing out a syringe as his fingers flipped off the rubber cap.

Subject 666-4243 was the next project he was developing. An upgrade of 666-4242 if he could call it as such. His experiments were birthed from an artificial womb, fusing an artificially created human sperm and human egg. This artificial life grew up just like a healthy human child albeit at an accelerated growth and maturity rate. And when they were of considerable age, they had to undergo the final test. Their souls would be 'tested', partially devoured for research purposes. A success meant the survival of the experiment, and the subject would be taken away again for Stage Beta, the extraction and harvesting of its soul for society's use.

But for now, Stage Beta was the least of Sebastian's worries. He had been stuck at Stage Alpha, facing continuous failures.

The little boy closed his eyes as Sebastian held him tighter, humming a broken melody from his memory.

_Hush little baby, don't say a word..._

Subject 666-4243 was no older than five. Just barely an infant a few weeks ago.

_Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird..._

Sebastian smiled, remembering the lyrics of the human lullaby. True, he was like their father in a way. He had grown attached to all his experiments, watching them from birth till their death. A great weakness for a demon, but still, he was reluctant to change.

_And if that diamond ring turns to brass..._

Fingers tighten around the syringe as he pressed the tip against the boy's arm, pushing the entire liquid contents into his bloodstream. The young toddler barely flinched.

_Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass..._

Sebastian dropped the syringe, hearing it clatter to the ground as it rolled away, gathering the young child into his warm embrace. He could already feel the boy's heart accelerating, fluttering like a hummingbird's wings in his small chest. It would soon be over.

"You could always kill _it _the faster way..."

Sebastian froze as a familiar low voice ghosted in his ear, the warm breath sending a chill down his spine. A hand shot out towards the boy. And with a sharp twist, a sickening crack resounded in the cold cell. The small body lay broken, and Sebastian sucked in a sharp breath.

The boy was dead.

Claude sighed and rose from his squat behind Sebastian.

"Honestly. What's gotten into you?" he muttered to himself, pushing up his glasses again as he turned to walk out of the room.

Claude had his suspicions that Sebastian was showing human emotions around his experiments, showing them mercy. He was looking for that man, after receiving orders that there has been a sudden change in plans. And Claude knew Sebastian would be here. The whole room had been decked out to resemble a human nursery. Colourful pictures were pasted on the wall and toys scattered all over the floor to entertain the little monster they had created when they had no need of it. His crimson eyes darted to the far corner, searching. Mey-Rin, the nurse wasn't at her usual place. The bespectacled woman had been hired to take care of the artificial humans in Sebastian's absence. The sentimental fool must have sent her away, Claude mused, a wry grin on his lips.

Claude's foot tapped on something round, sending it rolling slightly on the ground. He bent to pick it up. A syringe.

He smirked to himself and tossed it back to the floor, ignoring the figure hunched over the ground, still cradling that piece of filth in his arms. And he was right. The top researcher in this new world, a high-ranking _demon_, was succumbing to human emotions, being merciful to those disgusting creatures, those filthy humans.

It was laughable, and downright pathetic, Claude thought and he would personally see to Sebastian's downfall.

"Oh, and by the way," he said casually, not once looking back at the other demon, "we will be bringing over a new test subject in an hour. Clear the room and get ready for it."

Claude stalked out of the room, the sharp beep and hiss of sliding doors indicating that he was gone.

_That bastard._

The body was growing colder by the minute. Crimson eyes trailed over the broken form of the young child before lifting a hand to close his glassy, accusing eyes. Sebastian dropped the body on the ground as he stood up to leave. It was just a body now. Mey-Rin would no doubt be notified of the change in plans. It didn't matter.

Nothing mattered, not anymore.

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><p>Ciel propped his head against his arm, lazily stirring the teaspoon in the cup. Alois was still going on about his life on Earth. How it was better than living in their previous hellhole. How everything was so beautiful on Earth. Ciel scowled to himself. Obviously. <em>They<em> stole it from the humans.

Ciel glanced at his watch and froze, scrambling to his feet.

"Excuse me... I need to use the restroom! I'll be back!" The words rushed out as Ciel made a beeline for the room situated at the back of the pub. Alois snapped his mouth shut and frowned in anger at the sudden departure of the boy just when he was getting to the good part of the story.

Ciel burst through the door of the restroom and ran into one of the vacant cubicles, slamming the door shut. Frantic fingers dug through his pockets as he fished out a new phone from his pocket, something that was always replaced and disposed off with each mission. He quickly dialed a number and waited with baited breath as the monotonous dialing tone connected with the other line.

The beeping ended as someone picked up.

"It's me."

"You're late."

"I'm sorry...I got carried away." Ciel whispered despite knowing that there was no one in the toilet to listen in on the conversation.

"No matter. Report what you have found."

"Nothing much. They have started preparing for Christmas. It's crowded. We may be able to blend in with the crowd. And the disguise that demon had given me worked perfectly."

"Good." The voice at the other end replied. "Get him to pass you more of it. The lenses may be of great use for our future infiltration missions."

"I understand."

"Be careful."

Ciel paused.

"Will...William..." He quickly said before the line could be disconnected. The man remained silent, waiting to hear the young male out. Ciel could hear the voices of the Resistance scrambling to talk to him in the background.

"I..It's nothing. I will be waiting by the 36th lamp-post on the right in a hour's time." Ciel said and cancelled the call. Turning the phone over, he quickly dismantled the phone into pieces, flushing the smaller parts down the toilet and dumping the rest into the trash. No one would be able to trace their calls now. The Resistance always took great precaution in covering their steps.

"What took you so long?" Alois whined, drowning the last of his drink unhappily as Ciel slid back into his seat.

"Stomachache." Ciel replied nonchalantly and stirred his tea, never noticing the small film of white foam on the brown liquid as he finished off the rest of his lukewarm drink. Ciel cringed. The tea was bitter. He must have left the teabag soaking in the drink for too long.

"Ciel."

The young human looked up, his heart stopping in his chest as he found himself inches away from the demon's face.

"I like you. I really do." Alois breathed, a haunting grin on his pale features as his eyes blazed once again. Ciel felt himself drown in the twin pools of churning crimson. He was falling into the demon's endless, soulless eyes, he couldn't look away. His heart started with a steady throb and burst into a fluttering sprint, the organ was beating too fast. He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe. His mind felt numb.

Then, everything went wrong at once.

Ciel felt himself falling to his side, his vision giving way to blurred shapes and colours. His heart was pounding erratically, the sound amplified in his ears. His stomach lurched painfully as nausea overtook his senses. Ciel squeezed his eyes shut as his mind rolled lazily in circles.

"_Alois_..." He found himself choking out before the darkness overtook him.

_He could not...he betrayed me...He... _

And Ciel was gone, his body stilled as the drug pulled him under.

The blond demon stood up from his seat, smiling to himself. A taller figure stepped up behind the younger male, having spotted the blond immediately at the far corner of the bar as he entered. He raised his fingers to push his spectacles up.

"Good job."

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><p>Reviews appreciated, updates every weekend!<p>

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><p><em><strong>THE ADVENTURES OF LostBunny AND TNS:<strong>_

**xXxLostBunnyxXx: I think I died a little in this chapter. Oh my poor heart... What do you think TNS? **

**TNS: Williaaaaaaaaam, Claaaaaaaaaudeeeeeee! Let me glomp you, my darlings! *coughs* Ehem, I mean, is there anyone reading the end here? Don't you guys think that the whole lullaby Sebastian sung sounded like Eminem's Mockingbird? *inserts image of Sebastian in rapper-gear***

**xXxLostBunnyxXx: Anyone wants Sebas-chan to rap hahahah? And if you, dear reader, made it this far, I apologise if Sebby is acting a little...or wayyyy OOC. But it'll be explained in the next chapter. **

**TNS: Be right back, getting ready to kill a little blond bratling! *sharpens machete* **

**xXxLostBunnyxXx: *grabs Alois and hides him* Don't kill him, he needs to appear in the next chapter! **

**Alois: *sweat-drops***

**TNS: I don't care! *ominous music plays* How dare you end the story with a two-way double-cross! Cieeeeel, it's okay, I'll save you, my little munchkin! *runs off into sunset***

**xXxLostBunnyxXx: We hope you've enjoyed this chapter. Feel free to send your questions in under the review button, I want to help you understand this story as well! I'll be happy to answer them. And reviews for the story or the plot are again, greatly appreciated. A big shout-out to the six lovely readers that reviewed the previous chapter! Thank you! **

**TNS: That's it for this chapter! Review if you want Ciel to be saved! *blows kisses***

**xXxLostBunnyxXx: Sayonara! *waves* **


	3. Chapter 2

**Even Demons Bleed: **

**A/N:** **To all my wonderful readers, thank you for sticking around this story. Firstly, I'd like to apologise to my readers who have read the previous chapter. I wasn't sure which direction I wanted my story to take and made a rash move. It resulted in me having a really hard time trying to continue the story. After much thought, I realized that it was that previous chapter that ruined my muse. This version is the original take that I had planned to release to you all. I have already removed that chapter and will be replacing it with this version instead. I hope that the confusion will not deter you from continuing this story. If you are confused, please let me help you by dropping me a review where I can answer to all your queries. **

**Once again, thank you for all your kind reviews! It really motivates me to continue this story. I originally planned Alois to be the good guy, he needs more love, not hate from the fandom. So without further ado, let me present you the correct version of Even Demons Bleed. I await eagerly for your reviews! **

**On a lighter note, my beta thenamelesssoul and I have opened a new join account under the name TNSxBunny! We have just realeased a new chapter of our very first collab fic titled 'The Prince and the Pauper.' **.net/s/7532688/1/The_Prince_and_the_Pauper

**Please do check it out at this link and let us hear your reviews! **

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><p><strong>Summary: <strong>Mankind lost the war, and now demons have taken over their lives. A rebel group of humans rise above to claim back what once was theirs. Ciel finds himself torn between allegiances and puts his soul on the line. AU.

_**Disclaimer:** Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) and all related characters belong to their respective owners, the author owns none of the rights reserved. This chapter is un-betaed. I take responsibility of any of the mistakes found! _

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><p><strong>Even Demons Bleed: Chapter 2<strong>

**~xXx~**

"Ciel. I like you. I really do..."

"You're just jealous you failed the last round."

"Shut up! What idiot says that out of nowhere?" Ciel scoffed, glaring at his watery vegetable stew as he thrust his spoon unhappily into the uneven chunks of potatoes, carrots and other disgusting stuff the cook had threw in for dinner.

The dining area was packed with people. Survivors of the human race, save for Alois. Wooden make-shift tables were laid around one of the larger cave in their underground hide-out. The air smelt of the delicate sweetness of carrots from the stew and the delicious, homey aroma of freshly baked bread. The atmosphere was calm as light chatter surrounded the diners as it echoed around the walls of the cave, each sharing stories of their day under the warm overhead lights.

The blonde child laughed as he broke off a hunk of bread before dunking it onto his soup, tossing the dripping chunk messily into his mouth.

"Would you rather me say..." Alois swallowed nosily as his crimson eyes lit up in amusement as he dropped his voice to a dramatic tenor. "Ciel, prepare to meet your doom!" He laughed again as he got a look at Ciel's mortified face. The boy's cheeks were burning in flaming mix of embarrassment and anger. Ciel wanted to dig a hole through the uneven stone ground and bury himself in the rubble.

It had been two days ever since Ciel went through his final test, an initiation to those who wanted to join the Infiltration Team on their dangerous missions. In their little group of about 50 human survivors, a small band of humans formed the elite team. The team was made out of the best men and women. Trust and stealth were a major importance to the whole team, and the month-long simulated test was created as realistically as they could be, sending aspiring members right into the lion's den, into the demon-populated city.

Alois was different from the other demons. While the others ravaged the human race, Alois had decided to rebel against them. Gathering all the hiding humans scattered all over England, he, with the help of other humans created a whole new race, the Resistance. Unlike the other mortal humans, old age and death was inevitable. Never aging, never growing, Alois remained in the body of a young teen. The only oldest survivor, Tanaka-san, a cheerful Japanese-English 70 year-old grandfather was the only one left, having witnessed the great leadership of Alois while growing up with the Resistance as a child.

As a main member of the team, Alois had been so kind to volunteer himself for the simulation tests and pretended to be the bad guy. Ciel hunched over his dinner as he sulked to himself. Ciel had neither of these qualities to make it to the elite team. And so did many other hopefuls as well.

_Stupid demon! _

Ciel still remembered the lecture William gave him when he came to, and blushed heavily. He had made so many mistakes. Not keeping track of time, calling a member by his real name during the mission and not being aware of his surroundings, especially the drugged tea he had happily polished off. Alois was there as well, grinning his ass off at Ciel. The young man groaned to himself. How could he be that stupid?

A hard slap on Ciel's back forced the boy to drop his spoon into his bowl. "He's right, kiddo!" The newcomer said as he squeezed himself the the vacant space beside Ciel. Blonde hair making way to his dark, black roots at the bottom, matching the thick black frame of spectacles he wore as Ciel grumbled to himself, picking up his dripping spoon from the greasy stew.

"Who said you could sit beside me, Ronald. Go away..." Ciel muttered, giving up on wiping his spoon clean and decided to drink from the wooden bowl instead. Ronald was part of the elite team and had partnered up with Alois for Ciel's final test, making a bet with Baldroy, another teammate, that Ciel would fail. And because of their large wager, Ronald worked hard with the young demon in making sure Ciel would fail. It was so simple. All thanks to that drugged cup of tea.

"Fine, fine. I'm leaving, Phantomhive." Ronald raised his hands up in mock surrender as he got up from the table to leave the sulky child alone.

"Then again, not bad for a fifteen year old since you are the only one who made it to the final round." Ronald said and grinned, saluting the two boys with two fingers. "See you at the meeting later, Alois. Bye Ciel." And he was gone.

Twin pools of sapphire eyes glared at the departing man, before turning back to Alois who was happily finish up his meal. A meeting with Alois and the Infiltration Team meant only one thing. A new mission. And curiosity was one of Ciel's greatest weakness.

"Hey..." Ciel said, keeping his voice casual as he watched Alois pick out a piece of carrot that he had dropped onto the table and tossed it into his mouth. The demon hummed, waiting for Ciel to drop his question as he chewed on the orange cube.

"What's the meeting about?"

Alois stiffened and quickly swallowed his food. Picking up his bowl, crimson eyes avoided the human child as the demon got up to leave.

"Oh, you know. Just new places to raid and stuff." The blond quickly forced a grin on his face as he turned away from the table. "I'll see you later!", he added before disappearing among the crowd of tables and diners. The new mission was top secret. A highly-dangerous mission which only one human could undertake. And coincidentally, the same said human failed the simplest of tests. They were screwed.

Alois knew tonight's meeting would be crucial as they needed to re-examine their tactics again.

Ciel narrowed his eyes as the small departing figure quickly dumped his bowl into the collection bins before making a hasty exit out of the dining area.

Something was definitely up.

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><p>"You have to remember that Ciel is only fifteen. You are practically shoving a kid into the most dangerous demon in the city, <em>alone<em>."

"He is the son of Vincent and Rachel. He will be fine."

Alois leaned back into his chair and huffed, fingers rubbing soothing circles around his temple as his head throbbed with renewed vigour ever since the meeting started. The cave was small, loud echoes carrying their arguments as it reverberated around the room. Uneven stone walls were well illuminated by a kerosene lamp hanging overhead with a large gaping hole covered by a worn blanket as a make-shift door.

"I am not going to lose my only nephew to those _creatures_ out there!" The only woman in the team screeched as she bolted up from her seat, sending the chair toppling to the ground. That very action sent the entire team into an uproar again as each member tried to make their point heard over the other.

Small hands clenched into trembling fists as Alois gritted his teeth. "Silence!" He finally yelled, slamming his palms on the wooden table and pushing himself up to full height. Around the table, mouths snapped shut and eyes lowered to their laps.

"Sit down, Madam Red." Alois warned as he gestured a slim hand towards the lady beside him. Looking around the round table, the demon narrowed his eyes at the broken team of seven. Madam Red, Baldroy, William, Ronald, Grell, Finnian and himself. There was a vacant chair between Baldroy and William, the place where Vincent once sat. It had remained empty after his death. None of the members had the heart to remove it.

Sitting back down, Alois straightened himself on his seat as his eyes blazed, revealing the ancient being that had unfortunately been locked away in the body of a sixteen year old boy.

"Vincent's death was a great tragedy to our team." Alois slowly began as the rest of the members fell silent, listening to their leader. "But Vincent's death would be taken for granted if we did not finish what we had started."

"The demons out there have let their guard down after all these years." The young male added after a long pause, watching the members shift uncomfortably in their seats, wallowing in their guilt. The topic of Vincent and Rachel was almost taboo. It was rarely discussed, not even to their very own son, Ciel Phantomhive.

"Ten years of suffering in our hellhole underground. Ten years of grooming Ciel into the perfect candidate. That boy is well prepared for this mission."

"Rachel...," a voice rang out, cutting into the demon's speech. Madam Red shifted as the crimson eyes of the demon turned towards her, allowing her to finish. "Rachel wouldn't want her son to follow his father's footsteps." Madam Red added softly, looking away. "I know my sister."

Crimson eyes softened as Alois reached over and patted the slim hand of the lady in red.

"I will protect him. You need not worry. The target he will be placed with isn't dangerous. It's mine he should be worried of." Alois said before pulling away, his eyes hardened again. It was his fault to begin with. A grand plan that backfired. And he needed to set things straight.

"Vincent wasn't able to handle Claude. He was stronger than I had expected."

A hand shot up into the air as Alois nodded, allowing the bespectacled red-head to speak.

"If you will be handling Claude? Who will Ciel take on then? Hmm?" Grell asked, tapping a well-manicured finger against his chin as his eyes flashed in interest.

"Him."

Alois opened up the folder on the table as the members quickly snatched it away, bending their heads to view the demon's profile, their hushed voices murmuring as they commented on his picture. A cold face greeted them, framed by the darkest midnight of hair falling across his sharp, yet feminine features. Handsome would be an understatement.

"His name is Sebastian Michaelis. Next in command to Claude." Alois said, snatching the folder back to the disappointed groans of two red-headed individuals. "His life is insured at billions of dollars. In short, he is a very valuable person in the community and is under continuous surveillance from the army, lead by the Chief, Claude Faustus."

"He will be a simple target," Alois continued. "Based on the reports Vincent had given, Sebastian will not pose much of a threat."

"I wouldn't mind going for Bassy if I were Ciel." The red-haired man cooed as Alois shot a glare back at him.

"_Bassy _will find you suspicious at the first glance, Grell. You are needed back here with the rest of the team to track our progress." Alois shot back at the red-haired man before turning back to the rest of the team.

"Ciel and I will be infiltrating their headquarters in a week or two. It depends how long I can prepare him for the mission _again_." Alois stated, shooting an accusatory glare at Ciel's mentors, Baldroy and Finnian. The two men quickly looked away, pretending to be interested in their hands.

"I will be holding Claude off. And if Ciel is successful, we will be able to lead Sebastian right to our hide-out."

"What's the point of doing that?" A voice piped up from the small group.

Alois paused, turning to look at every single face of the team.

"Sebastian holds the key to the lives of the demons. Without him, they are as good as gone." Alois finished as a the members whispered among themselves again. It was a mission they gladly would take. To finish what Vincent had failed to do. Eradicating the only source of the demons' survival.

"And what are we supposed to do with that Michaelis guy?"

"We kill him." Alois said simply, his voice slipping into a cold snarl. Around him the group shuddered as they nodded in agreement. It was for the best of their race.

"William, you will take charge of the team when I am gone." The young male said, turning to the man. "Madam Red, Bard, Finny, Ronald and Grell, you all will assist William in this mission." Alois finished and stood up, folder in hand.

"I will bring Ciel back alive. I promise."

Ciel inched slowly away from the blanket covering the opening of the small cave, heart thudding in his chest. He had heard everything. His father had died, because of this mission. Ciel clenched his hands into fists as he bit back the sting of tears. He remember that cold, stormy night where everyone stood before his father, biding him farewell as he left. Ciel still remembered his father lifting him up and giving him a crushing hug, whispering that he will come back for him. But he never did.

Lost in his thoughts, Ciel did not notice a small dip on the uneven ground. A sudden step led to a loss of vertigo and Ciel cried out in shock, his hands flew out to catch anything that could help him regain his balance as he fell through the flimsy entrance of the cave.

Ciel landed hard on the stone ground, knocking the breath of out his small frame. The slim aluminium pole that secured the blanket to the cave ceiling, ripped loose from the weight of Ciel's body, fell and bounced harmlessly on top of his head, clattering loudly along the rocky ground.

Ciel could feel eyes boring into him. _They _were staring at him.

"H-hi..." Ciel managed weakly as the cold eyes of the Infiltration Team. How did he let himself be caught that easily? _Another dumb move, Phantomhive. _His mind cursed at himself as he slowly picked himself up from the ground,keeping his eyes glued to the ground. Ciel was thankful for the thick blanket that provided a soft layer between him and the rocky ground. His throbbing knees would bruise later, but it beats having a cracked cranium.

"You should at least give me a warning before you attempt to do something like that, Ciel." A voice said cheerfully. "I would have invited you in to sit with us at the meeting." Ciel froze. Knowing that tone of voice, he was in _deep_ shit now.

"The rest of you can leave." Alois quickly snapped, keeping his crimson eyes trained on the boy sprawled on the ground before him. One by one, each member side-stepped over the body and quickly made a hasty exit. Alois was smiling, but the smile didn't reach his glowing eyes.

The silence in the small cave was unsettling. Ciel could feel his heart fluttering madly in his body.

"Ciel...Ciel...Ciel..." Alois said,slipping into a sing-song voice as he circled his fallen prey, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Ciel made no move to stand up and Alois could smell the delicious fear that is enveloping the poor, little human.

Ciel cried out as a heavy dead-weight suddenly dumped itself down painfully at his lower back, causing a loud gasp to escape his lips in shock.

Alois straddled the young figure, bouncing slightly in cruel pleasure and leaned over, his lips at his ear.

"How much have you heard, Phantomhive?' Alois breathed, as his fingers twirled around Ciel's short raven hair.

"I didn't hear anything so get your butt off my back!" Ciel grumbled, bucking his hips as he tried to knock Alois off. He didn't want to play anymore, and the ground wasn't exactly comfortable.

Alois hummed in wicked amusement as the demon dug his heels to the sides of Ciel's body. Hands quickly grabbed the human's wrists and pinned them to the ground. Alois sighed loudly, wishing that Ciel was facing him, not the blanket. It would be so much fun to see his face right now.

"Feisty, aren't we." The demon grinned as his eyes blazed to life once again, as the boy grunted in protest under him.

"Let's see what can I do to make you forget what you heard."

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><p>to be continued<p>

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><p>AN: How is this version guys? Reviews are appreciated again! ^_^ See you all in the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 3

Even Demons Bleed:

**A/N: **Hi all. Thank you so much for all the lovely comments for the last chapter. I'm so glad that everyone liked the new version. Please enjoy the next chapter of EDB!

**Summary:  
><strong>Mankind lost the war, and now demons have taken over their lives. A rebel group of humans rise above to claim back what once was theirs. Ciel finds himself torn between allegiances and puts his soul on the line. AU.

_Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) and all related characters belong to their respective owners, the author owns none of the rights reserved._

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><p><em>Many thanks to my fabulous beta, thenamelesssoul for betaing this chapter!<em>

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><p><strong>Even Demons Bleed: Chapter 3<strong>

**xXx**

"Let's see what can I do to make you forget what you've heard," Alois breathed, angling his head towards Ciel's exposed neck. The warm, moist breath of the demon against his bare skin sent a shiver down Ciel's body as a shuddering gasp escaped his lips. He could still smell the sweet aftertaste of dinner on Alois' breath, and something else. Something demonic, a sweet intoxicating concoction of lust and want, something Ciel could not discern.

Slim fingers slowly released Ciel's wrists and trailed down the slender curve of the younger male's body. Ciel sucked in a breath as his heart throbbed painfully in his chest as his eyes widened in shock. He could feel the warm heat from their clothed bodies spreading like a wildfire, coursing through veins and engulfing them in its warm embrace.

In one fluid movement, so fast before Ciel realized what was happening, Alois quickly shifted and pulled Ciel above him. Making use of the sudden momentum, he rolled over again to pin the younger male down, this time with Ciel facing him. Alois smirked as he straddled the boy at the waist.

"W-what are you doing?" Ciel choked out as he tried to shift under the demon's pressing weight above him. Deep, sapphire eyes widened as Alois leaned in, closing in the distance between the two bodies, their faces just barely inches apart.

"So what was it that you heard just now?" Alois hummed, crimson orbs locked against the deep blue of Ciel's eyes as they lit up in challenge. He could feel the warmth and the pounding of Ciel's fluttering heart beneath him, and frozen fear upon his face was almost delectable.

Ciel grunted and shot his knee upwards, throwing the older male off him as he quickly pinned the demon down on all fours. Alois grinned back at him as his crimson eyes lit up with mischief. Surprise swept through Ciel's face as the cunning demon lashed out, tripping the younger male flat on his face with a pained gasp. Alois ended his attack by sitting on Ciel once again, bouncing almost gleefully at his victory.

"I win!" He exclaimed triumphantly. Looking at his downed prey, Alois smirked. The look on Ciel outraged face was almost too inviting as he turned to shoot a glare back at him with renewed vigour.

"What was that for?"

"Distracting you." Alois shrugged as if it didn't matter to him. Ciel gritted his teeth, a snide remark ready on his tongue when someone cleared his throat as he stepped into the cavern.

"Alois. We need to discuss the mission for tonight." William said, narrowing his eyes at the childish display between the two younger males. The blond male laughed sheepishly and pushed himself off Ciel's back, as the raven-haired man wasted no time in grabbing a seat and spreading out rolls of maps and papers on the table.

Ciel picked himself up from the ground, making small sound of annoyance at the back of his throat as he brushed the dirt off his clothes. Pulling up the cuff of his pants, the younger male hissed as he inspected his bruised knees. _That demon was going to pay for it._ A tug on his arm forced Ciel to stumble along as Alois dragged him towards the gaping entrance.

"Time for you to leave, Phantomhive!" The demon said, and pushed Ciel out of the cavern. "Oh," Alois paused as a warning glint swept across his crimson eyes. "Stay out of it this time."

Ciel rolled his eyes, "Fine", he said and pretended to travel down the twisting hallways, knowing the demon will be watching. Ciel smirked and made a left turn through a new opening. No, he thought to himself, on the contrary, it was too early for him to leave and there was no way he would skip out on the meeting.

It was not as if he was spying on their meetings for the first time.

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><p>It was past three in the morning when Ciel finally opened his eyes. Silence surrounded the hideout and a cold chill snaked through the drafty, cramped cavern. Ciel threw back his blankets shot to his feet. He had no real idea what he would do when he got out there, but it didn't matter.<p>

Ciel hissed as his bare foot connected against the cold stone ground, and quickly hopped on his toes to where his shoes were under a dim, dying candlelight. Grabbing his coat, Ciel slipped silently out of his sleeping quarters and down the lit rocky hallway.

It took Ciel a few minutes to make his way down to the common hall. Dozens of irregular gaps opened to adjoining tunnels. Some of the openings were huge, others barely enough for a man to fit through when stooped over; some were natural crevices, others were, if not man-made, at least enhanced by tools to widen it. Ciel nodded to the two patrolling men on night duty, pretending to be headed to the kitchen but passed it, and quickly dashed further down.

The floor began to slant downward at a steeper angle. The terrain was broken into rough steps, but they seemed secure enough, and Ciel found himself standing outside the hideout. The cold winter air swept through the small form as white puffs of smoke slipped from his lips.

Ciel turned his eyes towards the city on the far horizon. Colourful twinkling lights outlined the cityscape in the early morning. Ciel shivered slightly in the winter cold and trudged further down the barren hill and away from the hidden entrance of the hideout, finally settling on a flat rock at jutted out from the dead grass and eyed the calm midnight sky, his favourite spot whenever he could not sleep.

_They _would be leaving the hideout soon. Ciel remembered the conversation between William and Alois while he squeezed between sacks of potatoes and flour in the pantry closet. He had made a small hole that enabled him to listen in to their meetings for the past few years, and Ciel always wondered why they never caught him. Even that demon.

A sudden sound jolted him out of his thoughts as he quickly slipped off the rock and pressed himself to the ground, eyes trained towards the direction of the noise.

Dark figures surrounded the six-seater jeep as they loaded their wares into the spacious open-air trunk. In the moonlight, Ciel could make out the slender curve of guns and cases of ammunition. _The team is moving out tonight for another mission_, Ciel thought, watching the figures retreat back to the hideout with bated breath, probably to grab more things to load into the partially camouflaged vehicle.

Ciel did not know what came over him as he raced silently towards the jeep. It was his only chance to prove that he could help the team! Heart hammering in excitement and adrenaline coursing through his veins, the young male jumped into the trunk and quickly rummaged around, arranging crates to hid him from view. Once settled, Ciel hugged his knees to his chest in the cramped space and waited in the cold for the rest to return.

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><p>Ciel must have fallen asleep when a rough jerk jolted him awake. It was colder than ever and Ciel shivered, rubbing his frozen fingers together to generate some heat to warm himself up. Blinking blearily, Ciel tried to make sense of his surroundings only to meet a blanket of white.<p>

_It's snowing_, he thought to himself as he tried to shift his position in the cramped space. Peering out from where he was hiding, Ciel observed buildings and houses flashing past the rumbling jeep as a torrent of snow continued its relentless barrage upon the city. At this time, the streets were empty and shops were all closed. Even demons need sleep, at least when they are in their human forms.

The jeep rolled to a sudden stop and Ciel quickly hid back into his dark space, pressing into the shadows.

"Make it quick. Grab the usual supplies and we'll meet back here in 15 minutes," a voice, which Ciel recognised to be Alois's, whispered.

"Ronald, leave the jeep to our usual spot and meet us around the back."

Not being able to see where they were now, Ciel struggled to peer above the towering crates and make out the buildings that stretched out above. The jeep wobbled as the team filed quietly out before it started moving again.

Swerving to the left, the jeep entered a dark alley and blended into the shadows. Ronald cut the engine, and there was silence. Ciel shrunk further into his corner as Ronald hopped off the jeep, his boots making a soft thud in the snowy ground.

Ciel gave the man a few minutes head start before daring to peek his head out from the trunk, brushing away the snow that had fallen on his body. Blue eyes scanned the dark alley Ronald had left the jeep at. There was nothing interesting in the area save for a dirty dumpster, and a lone streetlamp that flickered occasionally, scattering weak orange light across the snow-covered pavement.

The young male crawled out from his hiding place, stepped gingerly across the bundle of loaded rifles, before hopping off from the back of the jeep. Soft puffs of white mist swirled with every breath he took as he took a few steps away from the jeep, exploring the empty, silent alley. Snow covered the ground as it continued to fall steadily, the new snow masking Ciel's footsteps upon the pavement.

"Where did they go?" Ciel murmured to himself, as he peered at the mouth of the alley, noting the few shops around the area where shuttered and dark. Blue eyes traveled from store to store, passing a pharmacy, a clothing chain and a supermarket.

A sudden loud crash snapped him out of his thoughts as he quickly turned towards the direction of the sound, and assumed a defence stance with his fists ready in front of him. Heart hammering in fear, Ciel sighed in relief only to see a black cat jump off from a dumpster, sending more empty aluminum cans scattering and rolling on the ground with another loud crash.

Ciel narrowed his eyes at the feline, trying to settle his fluttering heart. "Stupid animal," he growled.

Distracted, Ciel never saw the dark shadow forming behind him, swirling and misting as fiery crimson eyes locked fervently upon its prey. The stagnant odor of sulfur permeated the air as the evil presence made itself known with a guttural snarl. The young male barely had the time to scream when the demon lunged at him from behind. Pain was the only thing he felt as the snarling creature of the night attacked, biting, clawing and ravaging the struggling prey, as fresh crimson blood continued to spill across the pure, white snow.

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><p><em>Reviews are appreciated<em>

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><p>xXxLostBunnyxXx: Whew! It's finally done! It's a pretty short chapter this time round, just a prelude to the next chapter where everything starts to go downhill! And yes dear readers, I promise that in the next chapter, we'll finally see Sebastian in the story and more action-packed scenes!<p>

TNS: She finally did it! Bunny-chan finally came up with a chapter! *mops sweat from brow in relief*

xXxLostBunnyxXx: *blanches* I hope its not too bad . Anyways, thank you for reading this chapter and all your reviews! I look forward to seeing more of them!


	5. Chapter 4

Even Demons Bleed:

**Summary: **Mankind lost the war, and now demons have taken over their lives. A rebel group of humans rise above to claim back what once was theirs. Ciel finds himself torn between allegiances and puts his soul on the line. AU.

_Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) and all related characters belong to their respective owners, the author owns none of the rights reserved. _

* * *

><p><strong>Even Demons Bleed: Chapter 4<strong>

**xXx**

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><p>"Mr Sebastian, I'll be heading off now."<p>

Sebastian raised his head towards the sound of Mey-Rin's voice. She was already standing by the entrance, a hand propped up against the side of the automated sliding door to prevent it from closing it on her. The light from the hallway was brighter than that of the ones in the lab they were in. It cast a dark shadow over the bespectacled young woman, shrouding her face from his view but Sebastian knew under her thick spectacles, she had twin sets of dark eye-circles that rivaled the ones on his face as well.

The night had already eased into the wee hours of the morning, and they had been in the lab since the day started. Sebastian wouldn't never admit it, but he was already feeling the fatigue that was making itself known in his tired body.

Even demons need rest.

There was only so much they could do with this human body they had acquired.

"Why don't you take a day off later today." Sebastian replied and turned back to the small figure before him, his keen crimson eyes catching each deep breath the subject took. They were separated by a transparent glass. The subject was in a smaller, observation room while they were in the next, monitoring his vitals from the many monitors provided. It was a miracle they found _it_. A rare species known to be extinct ever since their predecessors were wiped clean from the face of this planet.

"B-but..." Mey-Rin started before she was cut off again as Sebastian shot a mock glare at her. His face relaxed to a smile when his assistant became flustered and almost lost her hold against the door that threatened to close in on her once again with a loud hiss.

"_They_ will be coming in later today for more experiments before giving us the green light to commence Stage Beta. The subject will be moved to another location for the tests," Sebastian said, tilting his head as he tapped the side of his cheek with a finger, deep in thought. "In fact, we need not be present at all." He continued and suddenly chuckled as an image of a very irate Claude appeared in his mind.

"_I told you to leave the bloody room! You're in my way!" Claude yelled, pointing an accusing finger towards them and then to the exit, waving them away. "Get out!"_

Perhaps it could be fun to stay around just to add a little pressure to him and his team, he mused to himself as the smile on his lips curled into a smirk.

"Mr Sebastian?"

The demon quickly snapped out of his thoughts and pushed himself up from his seat.

"You can go ahead first, Mey-Rin. I need to print out some of the readings from today's tests," Sebastian said. "I'll see you tomorrow at the same time." He finished, nodding as Mey-Rin returned a small wave back at him. The doors slid shut, cutting the light from the hallway and leaving the lab in silence, save for the occasional beeping of the machinery in the room.

Sebastian turned towards the small figure in the next room and narrowed his eyes. An intravenous drip has already been set up earlier on, feeding the subject a concoction of drugs to keep _it _under._ It_ had tried to attack him and his assistant with the fork from _it's _lunch. They were thankful that both himself and Mey-Rin escaped with minor scratches after Claude intervened with his burly guards. The new test subject was a feisty one. A fighter.

_It..._ No, the demon thought as he quickly printed out the report he needed.

Not _it_.

She.

Sebastian shrugged off his white lab coat and draped it across his chair, turning to leave the room, report in hand. The demon had not told Mey-Rin. Claude wasn't going to send the test subject for a Stage Beta trial. No. He was going to teach the little human a lesson.

The last of the light melted away as the doors hissed shut, turning the shine of golden curls that were sprawled messily across the flat pillow into darkness.

She would need all the rest she needs to get through the brutal torture of tomorrow under the other demon's hands.

* * *

><p>Ciel fell to the frozen ground with a pained yelp, unmoving and bleeding as the black specter closed in on him. He moaned as he tried to find his senses, but still he refused to take his eyes off of the enemy.<p>

The young male quickly pressed a hand desperately against the fresh wound on his shoulder, ignoring the sharp jolt of pain from the contact and the slick wetness of blood that continued to pour from him. The white blanket of snow was already his canvas that was painted in a bright, vivid shade of crimson, of his blood. Ciel gritted his teeth as he tried to push himself up from the cold, snow-covered ground. Mist-like smoke swirled with every pained breath he took as he increased the pressure on his wound.

_Stop the bleeding, stop the bleeding…_

The demon's mouth fell open, baring its teeth that were sharper than razors, as the he snarled at his prey. The swirling form was nothing but a thrashing, misty darkness that knew no mercy. Its claws were of quicksilver, bubbling and changing every second. Its skin was indefinable, swirling and bubbling in a spectral, smokey state. And it's glowing red eyes pierced through the dark night, eyes that reflected its bloodthirsty lust to feed on souls. The human's soul.

Through eyes that were glazed with pain, Ciel turning his attention away from the creature and towards the black jeep parked a few metres away from him. He could grab a gun from the back if only the demon was not standing between him and the jeep.

An exasperated grunt escaped his lips as he pushed himself up with the help of the wall behind him, his other free hand clutching his bleeding shoulder. Ciel knew he could never get past the towering creature without any form of ammunition and he sure would not be able to fight the demon until the team returned. Ciel did the only thing he could think of at that moment when his mind was disconcerted from the rush of adrenaline, blinded by the pain and fueled with fear.

He ran.

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><p>Sebastian pulled his coat tighter across his body as he trudged through the steady barrage of snow that fell like rain. Beyond him was a curtain of falling snowflakes, and a blanket of white across the quiet street. The demon huffed, his breath curling into white wisps of smoke, and hugged his satchel tighter across his chest. Maybe if he could cut through the alleys and take a shortcut back to his apartment. He could already feel his toes and fingers turning into frozen blocks of ice.<p>

Sebastian checked his watch. The hands of his watch already pointed towards three a.m in the morning. A special time where the dark creatures of the night were rumored to come out to haunt the living, Sebastian recalled as he hurried down the streets were dimly lit with weak orange lights from the row of streetlamps lined neatly at the side. It was eerie and the demon chastised his mind for exploring such thoughts. He was a demon. What would he be if he was afraid of mere thoughts of ghosts that will jump out of every shadow to haunt him.

Lost in his thoughts, Sebastian turned along the corner of the street, never noticing a small figure that was dashing down from the opposite direction.

"AH!"

Something hard collided against him, and sent his satchel flying from his grip and tossing the contents of his bag across the snow-covered ground. Sebastian cursed and quickly bent down to chase down the papers of the report that was already scattered all over the white snow.

"Watch where you're going!" He snapped, finally noticing the idiot that ran into him from the corner of his eye as he swept the snow from the papers. He was just a young boy. Probably a delinquent that stayed out to cause mischief.

Snapping his satchel shut, Sebastian raised his crimson eyes towards the figure on the ground when the boy didn't make a move to pick himself up from the ground but instead, tried to crawl away. Something wet and dark coated the left shoulder of his torn coat. It took him a second to realize that the dark spot was blood. A chill, not from the winter cold, ran down his spine. It was fresh, he could smell it now.

Blood was splattered across the lightly snowed ground, the crimson droplets leading from the bend and towards a small child lying on the ground. Sebastian froze as he smelt the gamy undertones of his blood, the fading scents of bath products, and large combination of synthetic chemicals, but there is an _otherness_ that drew him closer.

Small whimpers and gasps escaped his lips as the boy continued to drag himself away from the demon. The boy on the ground looked ill. His skin was white and his dark hair covered most of his features as he bent his head downwards in attempt to shield his face. Sebastian could see that his ankle was twisted in a sickening angle. He must have landed wrongly onto the ground when they knocked into each other.

The boy needed immediate medical attention. Who knows how long he had been running and how much blood he had lost.

The demon quickly side-stepped towards the boy. "I won't hurt you," Sebastian coaxed gently, and crouched over the boy's side.

"Let me help you."

Ciel flinched away from the demon's touch and immediately regretted his action. The stabbing pain Ciel felt stopped as a new puzzling sensation took over. Pain was replaced with a wave of deadness, starting from the base of his skull then rolling downwards to his feet. The switch of sensations to cold, numb and paralyzing stillness was horrifying. His stomach lurched painfully as a shiver worked through his system. Ciel felt his arms give out on him as he topped over to his side.

"Hey!" Sebastian shouted, panicked as the boy seized on the ground. Hands quickly held the boy down as the frail frame shook with slight tremors as his body emptied itself of blood. Sebastian quickly ripped his gloves off and felt for the boy's pulse. The child was going into shock* and hypothermia* was already setting in. The boy will never survive the night. Sebastian quickly rummaged through his bag, looking for a slim metal case. An emergency syringe he kept with him all the time. All high-ranking professionals were obliged to keep one with them for their lives were too precious to be lost to society.

He could administer the soul to the child. No one would ever need to know.

Crimson eyes quickly assessed the condition of the fallen child, and widened when they met the half-lidded ones of the child. His eyelids flickered and Sebastian saw panic in his eyes.

They were in the deepest shade of blue. Sapphire, with not a single trace of red.

Sebastian stiffened as he dropped the bag he was holding.

A human.

* * *

><p><em>Reviews appreciated.<em>

_*Shock: A life-threatening medical condition that occurs due to direct loss of effective circulating blood volume. In Ciel's case, he had gone into Hypovolemic shock. _

*Hypothermia_: A condition in which the body's core temperature drops below the required temperature range, can can be life-threatening when not treated. _

* * *

><p>xXxLostBunnyxXx: Ciel meets Sebby! Yay! So sorry for the super long update and super short chapter! I was swamped with events and work! Has anyone guessed who is the new text subject in the lab? This chapter is un-betaed, all mistakes found in this chapter is mine!<p> 


	6. Chapter 5

Even Demons Bleed:

**A/N: Oh dear, so sorry guys! I've been totally swamped with work that I've abandoned this fic. But because of you guys that kept on subscribing and reviewing this chapter during my hiatus made me realise how many of you all actually read this humble story. So... here's a new chapter of Even Demons Bleed! Enjoy. **

Summary: Mankind lost the war, and now demons have taken over their lives. A rebel group of humans rise above to claim back what once was theirs. Ciel finds himself torn between allegiances and puts his soul on the line. AU.

_Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) and all related characters belong to their respective owners, the author owns none of the rights reserved. This chapter is not beta-ed._

* * *

><p><strong>Even Demons Bleed: Chapter 5<strong>

**~xXx~**

It was cold. So cold.

Thick lashes fluttered as Ciel squinted under the harsh white light that greeted him from the comforting darkness he was in a few seconds ago. A groan escaped his lips as the aches in his body finally made themselves known. Ciel tried to move, but found himself strapped to the cold surface he was lying on, each limb was spread and bound on each end.

With each slight movement, he could feel the thin sheets beneath him rustling. It took him a few seconds to realise he was placed upon a plastic sheet, just barely giving him some slight comfort from the biting chill of the metal gurney he was on. Ciel tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry, gagged by something rough that was shoved past his lips.

Ciel started shivering, both from the unknown and from the cold temperature of the room as he struggled to peer through the darkness beyond.

_Where am I?_

"Is the human ready?"

That voice. He had heard that voice before. Ciel tried to turn his head towards the direction where the voice was from. But he couldn't move his head. Strong fingers laced through his hair and held him down, preventing him from looking anywhere but straight towards the blinding light above him. Panic swept through his veins as Ciel struggled to escape.

_What's going on?_

The silhouette of a man leaned down towards him, his features hidden by the lights save for those glowing crimson eyes that were fixed upon him. In their close proximity, Ciel could feel the warm breath of the demon against his cheeks.

His vision cleared and Ciel saw the demon before him.

There was a smirk on his lips as the demon leaned in, digging out the soiled rag from his mouth with a long, slender finger. Something sharp glinted from the corner of his vision as another figure stepped up towards the demon and handed him a slender, silver blade. With an emotionless gaze, the dark-haired demon leaned forward and pressed the sharp object against Ciel's bare an instant, Ciel's heart went into overdrive at the contact. Ciel struggled and tried to tear himself away from his bindings, only to scream as a blinding pain swept through his body. Warmth blossomed deep from his chest and tore upwards,and spilling across his lips.

Blood.

His blood.

The pain intensified as he felt the demon continued to drive the blade across his jerking body eagerly. Pain was all he felt as he felt the creature upon him, his hands buried deep within the boy's body. Hungry lips pressed against weeping wound as a warm greedy tongue lapped up the precious lifeblood. The demon's long nails slicing through skin and gently crushing veins, until at last, they were locked together lip to lip, and the surging sweetness filled the demon's mouth. The demon groaned as he pressed harder against the lips of the child, trying to draw out that exquisite taste from within as Ciel cried out at the excruciating pain of having his soul ripped from him. A sickening crack resounded deep in his head as he felt his ribs give way from the pressure.

_He couldn't breathe...couldn'tbreathe...couldn'tbreathe..._

* * *

><p>Head screaming, Ciel came to in a tangled mess of sheets, ragged breaths escaped his lips as he tried to tear himself away from his adrenalised panic. Heat raged along the wound on his shoulder so intense that Ciel thought for a moment that it was wet, and he was bleeding all over again. Freeing his hands from the tangled sheets, Ciel ran his hand lightly against his throbbing shoulder, only to feel the coarse material of gauze wrapped tightly across his body.<p>

_It was only a dream. Only a nightmare. _

With consciousness back in his body, everything was a wash of confusion and fractured sensations of pain and colours. Ciel moaned and collapsed back down to the comforting sheets, his body too weak to support him.

"Welcome back, Ciel."

A familiar, warm voice pulled him away from his haze. Ciel was disoriented and a little delirious after the nightmarish ordeal. Something cold was pressed to his parched lips and Ciel tensed at the strange sensation.

"It''s just water."

Madam Red tilted the glass gently against her nephew's lips, allowing a light trickle to enter his mouth. Fine lines of worry were beginning to ease from her brow as Ciel fought the last dregs of sleep and finally met her with a single clear, sapphire eye. The other, was bandaged up and hidden away from view.

"How are you feeling, Ciel?" Madam Red whispered, turning to squeeze a damp cloth and placing it upon the boy's temple. Imagine the shock she had when the men came back from their mission, with Ciel lying limp and bloodied in Bard's arms.

"Aunt... Ann?" The young male managed and quickly clasped a hand over his throat. Was that his voice? It sounded like a strangled grunt of a suffocating animal. Strangely enough, as strength returned to his body, the pain he felt ebbed and faded to almost nothing.

Ciel blinked and struggled to sit up to have his aunt pressing him gently back down to the cot he was in. Something was covering his right eye. It didn't hurt, but it surely was uncomfortable to have his vision partly covered. Calm fingers pried his searching fingers away from the bandaged eye and gently brushed his hair back.

"No, Ciel. Don't touch that, it hasn't healed yet..."

Ciel made a small sound of annoyance. "But I feel fine...," Ciel rasped and heaved himself up to a sitting position once again to state his point. His body swayed weakly as the room spun. Ciel bite back the bile that threatened to spill from his throat and pushed back the wave of nausea that washed over him. The air seemed dense and musty. Was he back at the hideout? A quickly scan around his room confirmed it. He was back in his room, a little cavern amongst the hundred of others underground.

Ciel frowned as his mind worked sluggishly to his last memory. He remembered the cold bite of snow. He was lying on the ground. There was pain, and there was...a stranger.

"CIEL!"

Distracted by the sudden shouts, the boy turned, only to be knocked back into the bed with not one but two crushing hugs.

Madam Red shrieked in protest and started grabbing the two men by their arms.

"Finny, Bard! Get off the poor boy! He just woke up!"

Bard and Finny had both been watching from the entrance of the room, edging in as close to the boy as they dared, or at least when Madam Red was still busy tending to him, watching with anguished and uncertain eyes. That was, until Ciel finally woke up.

The two grown men finally released Ciel and took a step backwards, sheepish but relieved grins on their faces.

"Good to have you back, Ciel!" Bard said and reached out to ruffle Ciel's hair as a sobbing Finny tried to squeeze beside Bard, trying to get his attention.

"You gave us a scare back there!" The blond-haired male wailed, brushing away tears with the back of his hand. "You were on the ground with that demon over you an-..."

"Finny!" Madam Red shot a warning glare towards the blonde and began pushing the two intruders out of the room. "Enough, let him have some rest."

Sure enough, a night of rest was not enough for his beaten body to fully heal from the trauma he faced. Ciel's body caved in as his lashes fluttered weakly. Dimly, he noted the gentle presence of his aunt making her way back to his side as a gentle hand smoothed his hair from his face.

A soft sigh slipped past his lips as the cold darkness took him under once again.

* * *

><p>Soft, panicked murmurs and running footsteps jolted him back to consciousness. It was dark in the cavern he rested in and his aunt was no where to be found. But the few hours of rest did make him feel much better. Ciel sat up stiffly and heaved himself carefully out of the cot. One of his eye was still swathed in bandages, and Ciel blinked, trying to adjust to his new vision from just one eye.<p>

"_The demon tried kill William!"_

"_How terrifying... I heard he ripped out his chains from the wall."_

Demon? Ciel crept closer towards the entrance and pushed the privacy blanket to the side. Figures hurried down the uneven corridor, and none of them paused once to see the disheveled young boy slipping out from his sleeping quarters. With hands using the stone walls as a support, Ciel followed the excited voices down the winding tunnels.

What was happening that sent everyone into a panicked frenzy?

Winding tunnels gave way to a lone, dark corridor as Ciel pushed against curious figures that hovered near the end. He was thankful for the dim lighting for no one recognised a heavily-bandaged boy pushing his way through.

Ciel winced a his right eye began to throb and quickly clamped a hand against his eye. Excited murmurs grew louder as Ciel found himself standing before thick iron bars. Death threats and vulgar insults rained down as the people clamored against each other trying to get a glimpse of their new prisoner in the cell.

From where he was standing, Ciel could see the blond hair of Alois flanked by Grell and William. There was a dark figure chained against the stone wall by his wrists. Trails of blood wept freely from the raw marks upon his wrists and stained his shirt that was plastered to his frame by sweat and dried blood. The prisoner hung limply against his chains, and grunted in pain as Alois reached out and roughly yanked his head up by a fistful of his dark hair.

Ciel could only stare back in horror as the man ignored this captors before him and swept his gaze further down the cell, fixing his eyes towards him with cold, blazing crimson eyes.

It was the very same demon from his nightmare.

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><p><em>Reviews appreciated. <em>


	7. Chapter 6

Even Demons Bleed:

**A/N: Here's another new chapter, I apologise for the very very very long wait! Enjoy.**

Summary: Mankind lost the war, and now demons have taken over their lives. A rebel group of humans rise above to claim back what once was theirs. Ciel finds himself torn between allegiances and puts his soul on the line. AU.

_Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) and all related characters belong to their respective owners, the author owns none of the rights reserved. Chapter is beta-ed by the lovely TNS!_

* * *

><p><strong>Even Demons Bleed: Chapter 6<strong>

**~xXx~**

Ciel woke up with a start, muffling his nightmarish screams with the back of his hand as he tried to calm his thrumming heart. From the corner of his vision, the dark lingering shadows of his nightmare retreated...for now.

Slumping back down on his sheets, Ciel squeezed his eyes shut. But that did not cease the terrifying visions that plagued his mind. It was the same nightmare every single night. Ciel still remembered the blinding flash of pain as the blade sliced across his body, as the demon leaned closer to steal his breath away, and the agonizing torture of having something precious ripped away from deep inside him. Unconsciously, Ciel moved his hand towards where a large gaping hole should be, but trembling fingers met with the smooth plane of his stomach. There was no wound. It was only a nightmare that felt too real.

He sighed and pushed the blankets away. The winter chill had receded slightly, making way for spring in the coming weeks. But the night air was still cold enough to affect his frail body. Ciel winced as the all too-familiar sensation of his chest tightening, and struggled to take in small, controlled breaths.

No one wanted to tell him what had happened that night, but at least they had allowed him to remove the bandage from his eye. As Ciel had thought, there was no lasting damage at all, not even a slightest scratch. But even so, the damage had already been done since the night Ciel came into contact with the demon. The team had noticed the boy's wounds healing faster than normal based on their circumstances, and forbade him from leaving his cavern. The only form of contact Ciel had for the past few days was when meals were brought to him. Even Alois had moved out of their shared quarters.

The blond demon had forgone sleep ever since they brought the newcomer back. Alois was always up, always making sure the demon they captured behaved.

Ciel slipped across the dark space of his cavern, trailing his fingers against the rough walls in the dark until they hit the smooth wood of a worn cabinet. Ciel placed both of his hands against the sides of the cabinet and pushed. The soft grating sound of wood against the stone ground revealed a secret tunnel it was hiding. The edges of the hole was jagged, and the opening was only wide enough to fit the small body of an adolescent boy.

Ciel discovered the natural tunnels by mistake, and used it to move around in secret ever since, carrying out his 'watchdog' duties in secret.

Each end of the tunnel lead to the main caverns in the hideout. Namely, the kitchen, the common room and even the exit. Best of all, the passageway also led straight to the meeting room where the team held their nightly meetings.

Grabbing a torchlight from one of the drawers in the cabinet, Ciel squeezed himself into the passageway he had created and used his right foot to hook against a vertical panel that jutted out from the back of the cabinet, dragging it back to conceal the hole in the wall. With practised familiarity of the winding passageways, Ciel started down a route he don't usually take on his usual rounds. He knew it would lead him close to where the cells were.

Ciel wanted another peek at the monster from his nightmares.

* * *

><p>Ciel didn't know how long he had been crawling in the dank and squalid tunnel. Following the path illuminated by his torchlight, Ciel paused to catch his breath. Aiming the light further down to gauge the distance he had yet to cover, Ciel frowned as the light bounced against a dead-end just a few steps before him.<p>

_Damn it! _

Ciel cursed in his mind and rolled over on his back for a quick rest, his knees were already sore from crawling the entire journey. Perhaps he could just rest for a moment, just long enough to catch his breath, before starting down to find another route to his destination. The sudden flickering of light from his torch caught his attention, but before Ciel could salvage his situation, the light gave out, plunging the boy into total darkness.

Ciel spat out a curse again and slammed the dead torchlight on the ground beside him in frustration.

_Great. Now I'm stuck without a light to guide my way back. _

Turning back to his knees in the darkness, Ciel did not see a web of fault lines he had further aggravated when he vented his anger with his torch. The boy started forward, leaning his entire body weight on the weak zone. There was a soft creak, accompanied by a faint rumble that came beneath him.

Before he could realise what was happening, the ground crumbled and gave way. Ciel fell, tumbling into the well-lit cavern below.

He was too startled to be scared, to even comprehend how deep the space beneath the hole he made could possibly be. Ciel braced himself for the jarring impact but as he landed, the ground under him seemed relatively soft, and oddly warm.

Realizing it's just a short drop, Ciel laughed at his overreaction and tried to sit up. Ciel pushed a hand down and felt something move, the slight motion accompanied by a faint grunt of pain that did not come from him at all.

"I didn't know it's amusing to fall on top of others when they are sleeping."

Ciel froze, as his wide sapphire eyes met the deep crimson ones of a demon. Ciel had landed on top of the older male in the most unfortunate position ever, his face barely inches away from the demon's face. Before Ciel could utter a single word, his mouth was stifled by hard hands that quickly clamped over his mouth.

"Shh, don't wake the guards up." Sebastian whispered urgently, tearing his gaze away from the boy briefly to make sure the two men on duty further down the hallway had not heard the commotion. Satisfied that the men continued snoring, Sebastian removed his hand when he was sure the boy would not scream.

"You could get up now if you wish," The demon said, a smug grin upon his face. "Unless you find our current position very much to your liking."

Ciel blanched and quickly scrambled away from the older male, his face a deep shade of red. The demon rose as well, brushing away the loose grains of gravel and turning his head upwards to peer at the giant hole above his head.

"That's a nice way to break in." The demon said, and turned to the young boy, his lips curving into a small smile. "I hope you're not injured in any way."

Ciel shook his head furiously, his body still remained pressed against the wall. He had wanted to see the demon, but he did not expect to fall right into the lion's den and _on top_ of the demon. Fear coursed through his veins. Was the smiling demon going to kill him? Steal his soul?

From the corner of his eye, Ciel noticed a sharp shard of rock near his foot and quickly snatched it up, brandishing it dangerously before the demon.

"Stay back...," Ciel warned, his weak voice losing most of the threat. The boy gripped the sharp rock slate with both hands, trying with all his might to stop his hands from shaking too much.

Much to his relief, the demon made no further advances, and remained rooted on the spot.

Slowly, the demon raised both hands.

"I'm not going to do anything. You may leave as you wish. I could go wake the guards to let you out." Sebastian offered, taking a step back towards the entrance of the cramped cell.

"No, don't!" Ciel said quickly, stopping the demon in his tracks. No one needed to know about his secret escapades. Besides, he would be grounded for life if Madam Red ever finds out that he had left his room. He needed to get out from this cell. Escaping from the entrance was not an option, he would get caught in seconds.

Ciel chewed nervously on his bottom lip, fighting the embarrassment that threatened to surface. The only way out, was up. And the demon seemed compliant enough, enough not to make any sudden attacks. He really did caught the demon by surprise when he fell on top of the older man earlier on. The demon was dressed in a different set of clothes he had last seen him in, a simple shirt and slacks albeit dirty and worn. His dark hair was slightly ruffled, as if he just woke up from the bed. Ciel winced. Well, he did wake the demon up from his sleep.

But the demon before him was unlike the one from his dreams.

_Cold crimson eyes, the serious ethereal face and the gleam of the scalpel that always finds its way deep into his flesh._

Ciel shook his head, ridding himself from the nightmarish vision of the monster that visited him every single night. The demon before him looked human. His dark crimson eyes were warm, with concern and a hint of fatigue from being forced out of his rest abruptly. No. It was not the same demon from his dreams.

Ciel relaxed his grip on his makeshift weapon, and drop his arms to the side but never letting go of the rock. He needed to get back to his room. Coming here was a stupid mistake.

"Could you...uh...lift me up back into the hole?" Ciel mumbled, his cheeks flushing once again at his absurd request. He was lucky the cavern ceiling was not that high. Just by sitting on the demon's shoulder would lead him back into the tunnel through the hole.

The boy frowned as the demon chuckled softly. The older male stepped forward knelt with one leg on the ground, stretching a hand out towards the boy, an invitation for him to climb upon his shoulders.

"You know, I would like to have some company tonight." Sebastian said softly, helping the boy up his shoulders. "I haven't been able to talk to anyone since my arrival here."

"I'm sure you had plenty of visitors every day." Ciel retorted as he adjusted his position, his hands grabbing the demon's as Sebastian rose with ease from the ground, as if the boy weighed nothing on him.

A pained look crossed the demon's features.

"Their visits were not very...," The demon paused. "Sociable."

Ciel fell silent. The demon was a prisoner here. How could he miss all the visible bruising that dotted the demon's exposed skin. The boy held on to the demon as they started moving, his hair just barely brushing against the roof of the cell. Sebastian stopped when he was under the opening, and helped the boy balance to his feet on his shoulders so he could slip back to where he came from.

When Ciel was finally made it back into the tunnel, he popped his head through the opening once again.

"You didn't tell me why you wanted some company."

A small smile graced the demon's lips.

"It's my last night here."

_Last night? _

Could he have meant...last night here in the hideout...his last night here on Earth? Knowing Alois, he would never let the demon leave alive.

Ciel retreated further back down the tunnel, making sure he avoided the weak cracks that webbed out from the hole. He need not fall into another room again. As he squeezed himself in the direction back to his room, Ciel paused in his tracks. No one deserved to spend the last day of his life alone. Not even a demon that seemed as nice as that one. Guilt hammered in his heart as he remembered the countless nights he had, wishing that he could spend the last night together with his father again.

Ciel bit his lip and continued crawling, trying to ignore the insistent nagging in his mind.

* * *

><p>Crimson eyes tore themselves away from the hole in the ceiling, he no longer can hear the child's scrabbling hands and legs as he crawled further and further away..<p>

The demon brushed the remaining debris away from his thin mattress, and laid on it, tucking his hands behind his head as he continued to stare at the gaping hole. His chest protested in pain with each breath he took. The boy's fall could have further stressed the bruises where the humans had decided to make him their punching bag. Still, a faint smile crossed his lips, he was glad the child he saved on the streets was well.

"Hey."

The demon turned towards the gates of his cell. Was the guard awake?

No. There was nobody there. The demon blinked, wondering if he had imagined the voice.

"Look up, you idiot."

A small face peered down the hole. Deep sapphire eyes, unruly hair that fell over his sullen face.

It was the same boy from before.

"I..." The boy started out nervously, looking everywhere except at him. "I can't go back to sleep...so..."

The demon chuckled at the obvious lie and leaned against the rough cavern wall beside him.

"I don't mind singing you a lullaby if that's what you came back for."

Red tinted the boy's cheeks as he looked away again, his lips pressed together as if to bite back a retort.

"I'm too old for a lullaby."

The demon smiled and shook his head. "Shall I tell you a bedtime story instead?"

The boy remained silent.

"There are dragons and sword fights." The demon teased as the boy finally turned towards him.

"What's your name."

"Sebastian Michaelis." The demon answered. "And yours?"

"Ciel." The boy started, and shifted into a more comfortable position so he was lying on his stomach and rested his head against his folded arms.

"Ciel Phantomhive."

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><p><em>Reviews are appreciated as always!<em>


	8. Chapter 7

Even Demons Bleed:

**A/N: Here's another new chapter, story will be updated roughly every month for the time being. Once the plot picks up, updates should be more frequent then! Or you guys can always push me through reviews & PMs *laughs*. Enjoy the new chapter! **

Summary: Mankind lost the war, and now demons have taken over their lives. A rebel group of humans rise above to claim back what once was theirs. Ciel finds himself torn between allegiances and puts his soul on the line. AU.

_Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) and all related characters belong to their respective owners, the author owns none of the rights reserved. _

* * *

><p><strong>Even Demons Bleed: Chapter 7<strong>

**~xXx~**

Death.

The entire placed reeked of it. And in the middle of the cramped cavern, a sorry example of what was supposed to be a makeshift medical centre, lies a frail old man in the last few stages of his life. Illuminated by a weak candlelight, Alois gripped the fragile hand tightly in his equally pale ones, never once uttering a single word. He did not want to shatter the illusion he had created for dying man.

Tanaka was the last surviving founders of the Resistance. Living past the healthy age of 80, he finally succumbed to an unknown illness just only a few days ago that slowly ate away what's left of his life. In a way, he was like a father to Alois. Together, they had built up their home underground and rescued surviving humans that managed to elude the demons in the outside world. This was not the way such a gentle person should leave this world. It was not fair that Tanaka would have to die a painful death. But then again, since when life had always been fair to them?

Crimson eyes narrowed as another choked moan escaped from the dying elder. Squeezing his hands gently, Alois slipped a hand out from Tanaka's weak grasp and reached over for a towel, patting off the sweat that gathered upon Tanaka's brow. Alois stole a glance at the empty bottle of whiskey. They had used up their entire supply of that potent alcohol in attempts to dull the pain Tanaka was going through.

There was no one else in the cramped space except the two. And in this room, was the place where Alois could finally slip off the strong façade he wore each day. He had not left Tanaka's side ever since their return from the failed raid. Not when Tanaka had to face the excruciating pain alone by himself. If there was anything Alois could do, he wished he could take the pain and suffering away. But this, this was the only thing he could do to help Tanaka cope with the agony. Alois set the damp cloth down and gathered the frail hand in his warm ones.

Withered eyes opened as Takana struggled to focus on the image of his wife before him. She was still as beautiful as he had remembered. Her cropped blonde hair that shone softly under the light, the vivid red kimono that she wore on that very day that they were married. And that small, shy smile on her lips...she's here. The pain always fades when she was around.

A weak grin stretched across Tanaka's lips as he continued to gaze the the loving vision of his wife while battling the agony that raced through his body in each passing second.

It was not till the early hours of the morning, Tanaka's laboured breathing evened out. A weak sigh escaped the old veteran's lips as exhaustion finally won, and sleep allowed him to escape his pain-filled world.

Alois allowed the grip on his hands to slacken before releasing those bony wrists. Tucking the covers tightly over the frail body, the demon left his place by Tanaka's bed, the hems of the long red kimono swishing as he headed out of the room.

"He's asleep?" A soft voice murmured and Alois nodded his head, slipping the red material out of his body and draping it across his arms. William was leaning with his back against the stone walls, arms folded across his chest. It was his turn to keep watch. The blond demon looked exhausted and those dark eye-circles served as a reminder that even demons need rest.

"We're out of painkillers and alcohol, Alois. This method will only be temporary, you know that."

The demon chose not to answer and continued his way down towards his own cavern that he had been bunking in for the past few days, ignoring the exasperated sigh as the other man took his place in Tanaka's chamber. Alois did not want to be any further from him when he could always run back to deliver any relief to Tanaka to his power.

Alois raised an angry arm and rubbed off the make-up he had applied on his face. He felt disgusted with himself to be pretending to be Tanaka's late wife, and in his pain-filled haze, Tanaka had truly believed that his wife was there beside him. It was as if hell had finally descended upon the community when they had returned from their last trip up to the outside world that night. It was also that night when Tanaka collapsed and never recovered from the mysterious fever that plagued his weakened body. Not to mention, they had a foolish boy that nearly escaped death, and a demon within their midsts.

A demon...that was also a medical scientist.

Alois dumped the red kimono on the wooden chair that decorated the plain cavern and eased down to the limp mattress laid out on the ground, pulling out the folder he had placed under it and flipping through the pages of the report. Time held no meaning for him as night blended with day. Had they had agreed to carry out the execution of the demon they had captured later today, and dump his corpse back to the city to serve as a warning to the rest of the demons? Alois frowned at he studied the write-up of the demon, he had forgotten about the execution. The death threat to the demon community was not of his main concern right now. Takana is. Fingers stilled as he finally found what he was looking for.

_Sebastian Michaelis. _

Alois narrowed his eyes. Perhaps he would have some use for that demon after all.

Slipping out of the cavern, Alois headed down the other end of the rocky passage and towards the cells. Catching sight of the two men that had volunteered to take up the odd-hour shift in guarding the cells , and to prevent from the other residents from attacking the demon locked up within, Alois dismissed them from their positions with a slight wave of his hand and a small smile of gratitude.

Making sure they were gone, Alois turned and continued his way further down the dark passageway, all the way down to the end where a demon so much like him will be waiting. His footsteps echoed in tandem with each stride he took. That was all he heard until a scream pierced through the silence.

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><p>Blinding pain and the sickening stench of blood tore Ciel out from his nightmare. It was all too horribly real, and the throbbing ache in his chest served as a reminder. But there was no gaping wound. Just the feel of his frantic heart hammering in his chest.<p>

The dream he had was different. It was the same dark silhouette of the hellish creature he saw in his dreams, but there was a glint of metal upon the dark obscure face that took the shape of rectangular spectacles.

_It was not the same demon._

Ciel squeezed his eyes shut and welcomed the warm embrace that enveloped his body, until a soft murmur brought him out of his haze.

"Calm down! Breathe..."

Sapphire eyes snapped open once again as Ciel found himself in the arms of the demon he had spent the night with.

_What...?_ Ciel stared wordlessly into the worried face of the older male as the remaining traces of his earlier nightmare faded away to nothing. How did he end up sleeping on the demon's cot?

_Oh..._

Sebastian had been telling him stories of the outside world, of the community, of his medical researches and the wonders of how demon medicine could return life back to the dead. It had got so fascinating at one point that Ciel had demanded Sebastian to carry him back down to the cell from the ceiling, using the excuse of being tired staying in that awkward position as he listened. And afterwards...Ciel remembered drifting to sleep as the demon willingly traded his cot for the cold ground, allowing the him to sleep on the mattress instead.

He didn't want to admit it, but there was something about that demon Ciel liked about. In the span of a few hours together, Ciel found that Sebastian was no different from a human being.

Are all demons like that?

A fierce blush crept up in his cheeks as his body finally calmed down, and weakly shoved against the demon to stop hugging him like a frightened child.

"CIEL!"

A loud crash reverberated around the small cavern and the warmth being wrenched away from his body. In the blink of an eye, Ciel found himself being pressed protectively behind a short blond male.

"Alois?"

The younger demon snarled. "Stay behind me Ciel."

Alois cocked the handgun that he carried with him everywhere he went and took a deadly aim at the older demon standing calmly before him.

"Speak demon, before I put a bullet through your head." Alois spat out, narrowing his blazing crimson eyes. "What were you doing with the boy?"

"Nothing, Alois! We weren't doing anything! I had a nightmare and Sebastian calmed me down!" Ciel cried out, tugging at the arm that held the gun with lethal accuracy. One shot and it will be over.

Alois froze, but never relaxed his finger on the trigger.

"What are you talking about?" Alois snarled, directing the question to the human child behind him.

"I was out exploring and found Sebastian's cell by accident. He didn't do anything to me, I swear!" Ciel begged. "Don't shoot him! "

Alois fixed his glare at the taller demon before him. It was suspicious that the boy had started defending the demon instead. But Alois trusted Ciel. He would never lie.

"Is that true?"

Sebastian nodded, his wary crimson eyes never leaving the barrel that pointed dangerously at him. They were demons but they still inhabited a human body. Without immediate medical intervention, they were as good as dead after sustaining a fatal injury.

Alois seemed to hesitate. Here he was, going to offer the demon a second chance to redeem himself by offering to treat Tanaka, and yet, he was caught in a situation where he was trying not to force himself to empty his entire magazine into the demon's body.

"I have a deal for you, Michaelis." Alois finally said, lowering his gun after making sure the older demon made no move to attack. "You do know that today, you'll be dragged out to the open and executed."

"One of my man is suffering from an unknown illness. If you save him, I'll spare your life."

Alois paused, crimson eyes blazing.

"If not, I'll kill you. Plain and simple."

Ciel opened his mouth again, a protest ready on his lips when Alois shot the boy a warning glare. He will deal with that brat later.

"I accept your deal." Sebastian answered, unfazed by the threat of death that held up at the end of the bargain. "But, may I ask what kind of ailment is your man suffering from?"

Alois steeled his eyes at the demon before him.

"I believe it's cancer, in its terminal stage."

"Who...?" The question slipped out of Ciel's lips before he could stop himself. And the name that Alois gave him stabbed deep into his heart. Tanaka. The kindly old grandfather of the community.

"But, there's no known cure for cancer!" Ciel protested, and turned to Alois, latching on to the sleeve of the younger demon. Turning his terrified eyes at the older demon, realization of what the deal was all about sank into him. Sebastian's death was imminent.

"Alois! Call off this deal! I'll do anything you say! Please!" Ciel begged. It was not fair to ask someone to invent a cure of cancer in such a short span of time. It was insane even for Alois to make this proposition. Under the dim light of the cell, Alois's features seemed to soften.

Ciel, the little young master of the community. Alois could never say no to him. Not when he looked so much like Vincent when he was younger. The blinding tenacity blazing in those deep sapphire eyes, and the strong determination on his face. Ciel Phantomhive was so much like his late father in many ways.

"Anything I say?" The blond demon asked, never once looking back.

"Anything." Ciel answered back, resolve in his voice.

"Then," Alois turned. "You will be Sebastian's guardian until Tanaka has recovered. Show him around later today." The younger demon had a smile on his lips. Alois rested a hand on Ciel's shoulder before turning to exit the cell.

Crimson eyes glittered as Alois found his way out of the dark passageway. He was playing a dangerous game by keeping Sebastian Michaelis alive. But strangely enough, Ciel seemed to trust him, and it wouldn't hurt to have one more demon helping out the community.

There was also one more agenda he had in his mind. An old enemy that had banished him from the demon world. Alois remembered the public shame he received as he was scorned and jeered by the demon race when he was exiled beyond the city walls and left to die. It was said that demons have no penchant for forgiveness,and that their lives were fueled with revenge.

Alois had a matter to settle with a certain demon once and for all before he resumed his rightful place in the demon world again.

_Claude Faustus, I'll be waiting for the day when I finally meet you again. _

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><p>Reviews are appreciated!<p> 


	9. Chapter 8

Even Demons Bleed:

**A/N: Here's another new chapter! Gosh, it's been three months since i've touched this story! I was too busy with my other joint account 'TNSxBunny' and writing for the KuroBasu fandom. I'm so so sorry for the lack of updates! Thank you for the continuous support! Here is the next chapter. **

Summary: Mankind lost the war, and now demons have taken over their lives. A rebel group of humans rise above to claim back what once was theirs. Ciel finds himself torn between allegiances and puts his soul on the line. AU.

_Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) and all related characters belong to their respective owners, the author owns none of the rights reserved. _

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><p><strong>Even Demons Bleed: Chapter 8<strong>

**~xXx~**

Everyone was staring at them.

The whispers started since dawn and have grown worse by the late afternoon. Picking up bits and pieces of verbal insults aimed towards him, Ciel had enough of attention for the day. Screw Alois and his request for Ciel to play babysitter to the unwelcome guest in the hideout.

"Can you walk a little further away from me?" Ciel hissed angrily under his breath as he quickened his pace, determined to place himself further away from the demon trailing silently behind him. Sebastian lowered his head slightly, acknowledging the request and allowed his guide to gain a few steps ahead, effectively placing them even further apart.

The hallways was long and narrow. The human community stopped and stared at the demon trailing silently behind the younger male. Some pointed fingers, others whispered amongst themselves. The tension and fear emanating from them was suffocating to the demon. Sebastian knew many humans itched to pound their fists into his body and murder him without a second thought. The only thing stopping them for doing so was Alois and the black shotgun he prominently displayed on his belt, trailing just a couple of steps behind the demon. Harsh words reverberated around him and Sebastian chose to ignore them, instead, focusing on the younger male before him.

"How was your day today, Mr. Michaelis?" Alois began good-naturedly, observing the slight tension in the older demon's body as they passed by the rest of the community. The blond shot a warning glare at the lingering humans, and grinned with satisfaction as they scurried away to prepare for the night.

"It was...interesting." Sebastian replied politely, turning his head sideways towards Alois. Further ahead, he heard Ciel scoff silently which sent a small smirk danced across the demon's lips.

They had spent the day together with Ciel showing the demon around the main areas of the hideout, mainly the common areas, the kitchen and the various work sites to expand the developing underground community. The technology used was almost medieval in their time, something that came from history books depicting early human settlements, and Sebastian was impressed with the creation of the hideout. Each tunnel was carefully dug to reveal larger naturally-made caverns. Sunlight streamed naturally down from the attentively placed holes from the ceiling which were then reflected by any shiny surfaces they had managed to scavenge from the city and by nightfall, torches were lit to facilitate the lighting. It was a little haven underground.

It was no wonder that these humans managed to thrive for years without drawing any suspicion from the demons.

Ciel's duty for the day was to shovel dugged up dirt and wheel it to the dumping site, and he made use of his new 'slave' thoroughly. Sebastian had done all the work while Ciel stood aside, almost gleefully shouting orders to him without lifting a finger. Of course, being a demon with enhanced abilities, Sebastian had completed his tasks without breaking out a single bead of sweat, much to Ciel's annoyance.

Lunch was no worse as the trio walked into the dining hall. Alois had then decided that they would take up the middle table and resorted to ask many questions about the demon race that he had long forsaken centuries ago. Questions of the demons' lifestyle, habits did perk up Ciel's interest, much to his surprise. He did enjoy listening to Sebastian's deep, melodic voice over his tasteless vegetable soup and bread rolls. It was equally as mesmerizing as the tales he heard when he first met Sebastian. And by the end of lunchtime, Sebastian's stories of the world above had drawn in a few more curious listeners, especially the children.

Ciel rounded up to the next bend and stopped. Flipping the heavy drape aside, the young male stepped into his room. Dropping down to his mattress, he watched warily as the two demons entered inside. Ciel groaned and rolled up into a kneeling position as the Alois slid the privacy curtain shut behind him.

"Don't tell me he is sleeping here as well..." Ciel muttered, casting an unhappy look towards the older demon as Alois peered into the shelf and shook out a spare sleeping mat before handed it over to the demon.

"Why not? You promised you'll be his guardian." The blond demon shrugged and tossed the mat on Ciel's head. "Help him lay that out, and make sure he is still alive when the sun rises tomorrow."

Alois paused and unhooked his gun belt and handed it over to Ciel. Sapphire eyes widened in surprise as the young male turned towards the leader, brows raised in question.

"Wha-" Ciel began but was cut off by Alois.

"Ciel, I need you to keep watch until I come over to change shifts a few hours later." Alois said, his voice dropping to a hushed whisper. "There are rumours of an attempt to murder Mr. Michaelis here, and we don't want that to happen, do we?"

Numbly, Ciel shook his head and Alois smiled before straightening up from his crouch.

"Well then, goodnight gentlemen. I hope to see you both _alive_ in the morning."

That said, Alois tipped his head to the two occupants before him before excusing himself from the cavern.

Ciel ripped the mat off from his head angrily and tossed it to the ground. Crossing his arms across his chest, he shot an angry glare towards the demon. It was all his fault. Now he won't be able to sneak out to explore without having to keep an eye on the demon in his room. Nor will he be able to catch up on sleep with his night duty.

Biting back a groan of annoyance, Ciel dropped the mat on Sebastian's hand and headed towards the clothed partition. Ripping it apart with a sudden, Ciel smirked as he sent several curious humans hanging outside his sleeping quarters scuttling away and down the hallway.

Ciel made himself comfortable on the ground before turning towards the demon who was still standing inside his cavern.

"Get to bed, demon. And don't drool all over the mat or I'll make you wash it." Ciel snapped and turned away, deciding that view through the partially opened drapes was far more interesting.

"Thank you."

"What?" Ciel turned, only to meet Sebastian a few inches away from him. Feeling his breathing getting caught in his throat, Ciel squeezed his eyes shut as the demon reached over and... ruffled his hair gently.

"Thank you for today." Sebastian smiled before turned around to lay out his sleeping mat on the rocky ground. "I really appreciate your help."

"Yeah...whatever..." The young male said and blushed. Within seconds, the demon's breathing evened out as he finally found sleep. Curious, he turned and stared at the demon's peaceful sleeping face, a hand lightly brushing against the gun Alois had left him with.

Propping his head against his arm, Ciel found himself admiring the demon's flawless complexion under the flickering shadows of the lone candlelight. Sapphire eyes roamed from the demon's long lashes, to the slender arch of his nose and down towards the pink lips of the demon, slightly parted as the demon slept on. Ciel felt a wash of heat engulf his cheeks before tearing his eyes away from the demon's sleeping form and back to the empty corridors outside. But tasked with a heavy responsibility, Ciel soon found himself trying hard to stay awake. But sleep won as the young guard closed his tired, sapphire eyes as fatigue pulled him under.

Crimson eyes opened as Sebastian Michaelis sat up softly on his mat. Shaking his head with mirth at the sleeping boy by the entrance, Sebastian gathered his mat up and draped it gently over Ciel's seated,sleeping frame.

"You shouldn't let your guard down around me, Ciel." The demon muttered and reached for the weapon lying unattended by Ciel's foot.

A soft rustle caught the demon's attention as Sebastian grabbed the shotgun and cocked it, aiming it towards the dark silhouette of the intruder entering their sleeping quarters. Sebastian lowered the gun when he recognised those familiar glowing crimson eyes so much like his, and the soft blond hair of the Resistance's leader.

"Alois." Sebastian greeted the demon with a slight tilt of his head.

The shorter male held his hand out for his gun and Sebastian handed it back to him. There was an unreadable expression in him, and those eyes that were always shining with emotion were instead, blank and tired.

A sight a great leader should never show to his followers.

"Come with me Sebastian, there is someone I want you to meet as a part of our bargain."

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><p><em>As always, reviews are appreciated. See you in the next chapter! <em>


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